MOSCOW. July 18 (Interfax-AVN) - Hero of Russia Yevgeny Kiryushin and Hero of the Soviet Union Gennady Kuchkin stopped the hunger strike initiated by the Coordination Council of heroes communities on July 6, Valery Burkov, chairman of the Heroes of Motherland foundation, told Interfax-Military News Agency Monday.
"The decision that Kiryushin and Kuchkin should stop the hunger strike was made by the Coordination Council on Monday," he said.
Burkov added that 55-year old Kiryushin stopped the hunger strike due to the serious illness of his wife, while Kuchkin for health reasons. Kiryushin was taking part in the strike since its very beginning, while Kuchkin joined him on July 12.
"I will continue the hunger strike and Hero of Russia Oleg Shchepetkov, a 51-year-old honored test pilot, and 57-year old Hero of Socialist Labor Yury Rakhmanov will join me," he said.
"For the 12 days of the hunger strike seven people took part in it apart from me, including Anatoly Knyshev, Alexander Bezhevets, Vladilen Khomyakov, Gennady Kuchkin, Yevgeny Kiryushin, Oleg Shchepetkov and Yury Rakhmanov," Burkov said.
He emphasized that the Coordination Council declared that the hunger strike will continue until the Russian government fulfils its obligations as to the conclusion on the hero status bill submitted to it for consideration.